Through the Grapevine
by kakashikrazy256
Summary: It didn't matter what the headline was. One thing was certain to the public: People were dying. At Kid heists. An event that usually came with pleasant connotations and a positive atmosphere. A serial killer is out murdering fans. The Kaitou Kid is blamed and slandered.


**Although this isn't for Poirot Cafe's competition (exceeded the word limit by 3k words), you should all come check out Poirot Café anyways. We're friendly folk and will welcome you warmly. We have amazing writers, artists and all sorts of DCMK news and discussion.**

 **Warnings: Spelling/grammar mistakes, language, death, violence, angst.**

 **You'll have to excuse my utter lack of experience with writing mystery and deductions. I believe this is more Kaito-torture disguised as a detective mystery than anything else.**

 **Enjoy**

The first cop that tripped over the body vomited with a choked gasp.

The rest of the task force came to a screeching halt. Tsukano turned to stare at the officer next to him. Sawada swayed, leaning against the wall for support. No one knew how to react. It wasn't often that murder and Kid appeared in the same sentence. Much less the same vicinity.

The motionless corpse lying on the cold museum floor was a contradiction to all their previous beliefs.

The still-nauseous officer turned to regard his trembling hands. The warm fleshy sensation lingered on his tingling fingers. The person had died very recently. He wanted to throw up again.

"K-keibu." Konno whimpered, his shaking hands reaching up to grasp at his thin hair as he turned to face the inspector.

The inspector gritted his teeth and turned his head. The curtains billowed serenely in the autumn breeze. A small white triangle hovered a distance away. The disgusting cheers of the crowd filtered into the room.

"Call Megure's department here right now. Don't waste a fucking second."

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Victim not yet identified." Takagi murmured as he wrote the details down in his well-worn notebook.

"Can we get a verdict, Tome-san?" Sato inquired from where she stood to the side with her own notepad.

The crime scene investigator's gloved hands hovered a good distance over the body's throat. He pointed out the bruises.

"Mechanism of death was most likely asphyxiation caused by ligature strangulation. Though an autopsy should be conducted by the experts back at the lab in case these marks were made post-mortem." He held in a scowl at the sight of the vomit and the gaggle of officers hanging around the crime scene aimlessly.

"Although, it would be ideal if most of you stopped contaminating the scene." He muttered under his breath and Megure caught on quick to his sour mood.

"Nakamori-kun, may we have you and your subordinates come down to the station for statements?"

The other inspector rubbed his eyes tiredly. He looked at his shaken men. It was a first heist for almost a third of the officers. There had been many new recruits lately (many officers had moved to different departments after one too many glitter traps from the thief). Guilt racked his frame at the thought of giving them such a bad experience. He turned to nod at Megure.

"Of course."

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

The media caught on quick.

Newspapers, magazines, journals line the newsstands and infiltrate the internet in forms of articles and discussion forums.

 _A Murder at the Heist._

 _Kid Fan Killed at the Museum._

 _Accident or Foul Play? Death at a Heist._

It didn't matter what the headline was. One thing was certain to the public: Someone had died. At Kaitou Kid's heist. An event with pleasant connotations and a positive atmosphere. A place where laughter, confetti and colorful smoke was a common sight. All these notions were clouded over with darker words.

 _Death. Blood. Bruises. Strangulation. Lifeless eyes on a stiff, cold face._

Words like these were scattered across tabloid articles. Most authors took on a tone of disbelief and horror. However, a few writers began to whisper aggressively with accusatory words in their stories.

 _Murder. Crime. Atrocious. Fault._ _ **Kid**_ _._

The world continued to spin; life goes on.

The people talk.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"A murder at a Kid heist, Aoko! Did you hear?" Keiko whispered over the sounds of Japanese grammar being taught by the teacher in the front of the room.

"Yeah. My dad didn't come home until four." Her response was oddly curt. She had stayed awake until she heard the car pull into the driveway. Yet she wasn't tired at all. Her head was spinning too fast for her to feel sleepy. Her father's words rang in her mind.

 _ **A citizen was killed.**_

Her hands clenched into fists as her vision blurred in anger, her cheeks flushed.

Damn that Kaitou Kid.

Hakuba Saguru blinked with a frown and glanced at the teen sitting in front of him, questions shining in his hazel eyes.

Kuroba Kaito's head was buried in his arms, the sounds of his even breaths traveling to Hakuba's ears.

The lesson continued over the gossip that steadily spread across the entire school.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

Another body appeared after nine days. The Kid heists have been consistent and frequently lately.

The body is found three minutes after Kid's exit. The task force officers were solemnly brushing off confetti from their uniforms as the forensic team arrived. The cheers of fans had died down by now, the crowd dispersing. Stragglers see the sirens illuminating the night sky.

The murmurs continue to grow.

"Cerebral anoxia via ligature strangulation is likely, we'll need to do scans of the brain. The culprit had at least five minutes to take his sweet time. Might be the same guy from a week ago." Tome offered, nodding to the other investigators to start their search for trace evidence.

"Another fan?" Shiratori rubbed his chin and Megure nodded in agreement. With a face still round with fat and innocence, the still body couldn't have been any older than 19.

"Damn it." Nakamori clenched his fists, blood welling where his fingernails had broken skin.

"If only Conan-kun were here…" Takagi sighed heavily and received an elbow to his gut from Sato in return.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

 _Another Body Found!_

 _Kaitou Kid Taskforce Fumbles with New Crimes?_

 _Murderer in Town?_

Rumors are everywhere. Whispers on the streets, subways, restaurants, schools, even within the Metropolitan Police Department.

"You know, I didn't sign up for this job to see this shit." Tamaki- a new recruit- muttered under his breath. Even a newcomer like him had to fill out statements for what he had seen during the two murders. He had come here because he had heard rumors about the lax protocols in the 2nd division. This sure wasn't relaxing.

"Shut your mouth, newbie. This isn't a common thing for us either." Sawada glared at him from where he was nearly buried under paperwork.

"Once we catch the dude, we can go back to the normal routine. I'd like to see your face then." Tsukano chuckled bitterly. It was almost unbelievable how he was looking forward to Kid hazing the noobs.

"W-what if Kid's responsible…"

A pregnant pause filled the office.

"Okubo…" Nagisa- another rookie- looked anxious as he nudged the shy young man who had spoken.

"That's a possibility." Tsukano replied coldly. It was always an option, no matter how much he refused to acknowledge it. The inspector wasn't the only one that had upmost faith in the thief. Many veteran task force officers felt the same.

But the circumstances…

Two murders...two heists…no other suspects...

Could it really be...?

And if it wasn't…

 _Why hasn't Kid done anything?_

"I'm sorry, Tsukano-senpai. Okubo and I use to go to be part of the same club in high school. He has absolutely no tactic." Nagisa smoothly bowed his head, apologizing for his friend- who turned to give him an indignant look. Tsukano waved it off.

"Talking won't get us anywhere. Let's get these reports done and sent to Megure-keibu."

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

Another murder occurs.

This time, it's different.

This time, it's public.

A crowd gathers outside the museum, some lucky ones already inside. Kid appears when the clock strikes eleven. A foreboding toll rings out eleven times.

Ten minutes pass before a crash is heard.

The outsiders look up in confusion.

The screams start.

 _ **Thud**_

A figure lands onto the streets below with a solid crack. The crowd is in a frenzy. Feet trample, bodies collide against one another, mothers grab onto their children's hands, students was shouting in disbelief. In this chaos, no one had time to stop anyone. No one has time to nab suspects.

Sirens cry out into the night. The hang-glider is seen leaving the scene.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Petechiae…some faint ligature marks…it could be the same guy. We'll have to do more tests back at the lab to be sure. She died before the fall out the window." Tome barks out curtly before turning away to allow his other colleagues to work. He is getting sick of this.

Nakamori curses out loud and kicks a wall.

Tamaki considers quitting. So does a good quarter of the new recruits.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

 _Woman Falls Out Window at Heist!_

 _Was she pushed? Heist Murders Continue!_

 _Chaos and Confusion at Kid Heist_

 _Serial Heist Murders?_

 _ **Is Kaitou Kid a Murderer?**_

A new type of headline appears. There was less focus on the shock and disbelief about murder at a heist.

The focus was now on unmasking the murderer and solving the mystery.

The media narrowed in on one target.

"They're saying it might be Kid!"

"Eh? No way, Kid hasn't ever killed before."

"Yeah, there was that time when they said he killed some artist. They ended up saying he was innocent!"

"But I saw it on TV today; it's different this time! They really think it's him."

"…No way…Kid-sama would never do it!"

"I…I don't know…"

Some fans shy away, others stay firm and loyal.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Absolutely bizarre." Hakuba muttered under his breath. The tea sitting on the table adjacent to this desk has gone cold.

"I apologize for not contacting you earlier, Conan-kun. I heard you and Mouris were out of the country." The Brit lifted the tea cup to his face and grimaced before setting it down again.

"It's alright, Hakuba-niichan." Conan gave him a small smile. Their trip to the US had been quite fun. Of course, if he took out the part where they ended up getting involved in twelve cases during the span of three weeks. He had been so relieved to get back on Japanese land (solving cases in English had been taxing). The moment they got off the airplane, they noticed the difference.

The newspaper stands were lined with glaring headlines, the TVs at the airport terminal were broadcasting talk shows, interviews, videos taken at the heist grounds, the list went on and on. Even without a media medium, they heard from the people. There was gossip everywhere.

Sonoko had been devastated by the murders. The wealthy heiress had loudly proclaimed that she would go to every single heist with huge support signs and creative cheers. Ran had refused to allow her friend to put herself at such a risk and that was the end of that.

The karate champion had also threatened to forbid Conan from going to any more cases with her dad if he snuck out to go to a Kid heist as well.

 _I just want you to stay safe, Conan-kun._ Her words haunted his mind.

He looked down at the piece of paper in his hands.

"I don't see the connection between heist and murder. Do they have a grudge against Kid?" Conan swept his bangs to the side in one smooth motion. He glared at the files, newspapers, magazines that hid most of the floor.

"That's likely. The victims were all Kid fans that came to the heist alone. Nakamori-keibu has also noticed this. He's been giving public announcements advising those that want to come, to come in pairs or groups."

"The media has put Kid into the spotlight as a murderer. He's losing support fast." The boy's grip on the paper tightened, causing it to crinkle.

"So the culprit has an intense hate for Kid?"

"Enough to murder his fans and put the blame on him." Conan answered softly with narrowed eyes.

"Has Kuroba-san…." He began hesitantly, watching Hakuba stiffen.

"He hasn't acted drastically different in class. But he does seem a bit subdued. It's obviously affecting him."

They went through more files in silence.

Both of them knew Kid couldn't possibly do it. The timeline cut it too close for him unless he was extremely determined to kill.

Although it was only a hunch, both detective knew Kid better than that.

Kid was not responsible.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

There are less people standing outside the museum steps at the next heist. Fans are no longer allowed into the heist buildings. It was too dangerous.

Those who did show stood in apprehension, only a handful still cheered for Kid.

That is how humans act. A tragedy happens and the public moans and mourns over the horrific details. They whisper these words to each other as they stand over the wreckage. They condemn while secretly observing the scene in morbid fascination.

There are people at the heist.

Only because they are curious.

They turn their heads collectively when the wind shifts. The phantom was already becoming a blur in the sky. There are sirens in the distance.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He hears them.

The ugly rumors that spread like a miasma.

"Another murder happened!"

A train zooms by, filling the station with wind and horns. The door opens and feet shuffle.

"The victim was the president of the Kid fan club!"

"N-no way? Miki-san was?"

"I knew it; I shouldn't have let her go alone!"

There are sobs and words of meaningless comfort.

"H-he's gone too far!"

He wants them to stop.

"How could he do that to us? We're his fans!"

 _Stop talking._

He reads them.

 **Majiku0389** : This is beyond disgusting.

 **Kana** : Miki-san was so kind…she really loved him…why…

 **Hachi** : Does he not care for us at all?

His fingers twitch as he types with shaky hands.

 **Kai** : Maybe….it's not him? Can't we have some trust in him?

 **Kana** : What are you? Five? Wake up dumbass, it's obvious.

 **Majiku0389** : He's a killer. He doesn't give a shit about us at all.

 **Hachi** : Why did we even support a guy like that in the first place? There's no way he's normal.

 **Misaki** : That's true, returning the gems…what's the point in stealing them?

 **Kana** : He's fucking crazy. Who knows what's going through his mind. Hell, imagine it turns him on LOL What's that called anyways?

 **Yuna** : Kleptomania? XD No way, that's seriously gross. But it sounds accurate.

 **Hachi** : LOL Kana, we've got to tell everyone on Skype about this.

He logs off and deletes his account.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He dreads his next heist.

"Go away Kid!"

"Get lost!"

"Return Miki-san to us!"

"Go to hell!"

"Monster!"

He sways from where he stands at the rooftop, the words hitting him like a sharp blade. His feet move forward one step; then he hesitates.

He picks up the index card lying near the railing.

 **You're innocent! I know it! Don't give up, I believe in you! – Your biggest fan.**

He feels a smile creep onto his trembling features and he bites his lips to keep in a sob.

He pockets the note and goes over the edge of the building.

The roars of hate increase as he flies away.

There was no murder that night.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"There wasn't a murder tonight." Tamaki blinked, as if in disbelief.

"You sound like you're disappointed." Sawada glared at the new recruit.

"O-of course not. I'm super happy I don't have to fill out papers this time!" He growled before averting his eyes, "It's just…." He trailed off. Ever since he joined the task force, he hadn't seen a single case without murder. He had come to expect a dead body at every corner of the building. His resignation letter was already sealed and sitting at his desk at home. He wondered how long it would take before he's had enough. Before he hands the letter to the inspector.

"You look a bit pale, Nagisa. You alright?" Sawada turned to regard the other newbie that was trudging besides them.

"Ah, no Sawada-san. It's just that…the most recent victim was the part of the club I used to participate in."

"Eh? You were a Kid fan?" Tamaki gaped and Nagisa flailed, moving to put a finger to his lips.

"Shh! Don't let the inspector hear you!" He hissed with a light flush to his cheeks.

"You can buy my silence….for 80000 yen a month!" Tamaki grinned.

"Eh?!"

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Maybe the culprit disguised as a fan to lure in a victim?" Hakuba mumbled and Conan considered the hypothesis.

"Reasonable, it would be easy to blend in afterwards. Though, it would be considerably harder now that fans aren't allowed into the building." The shrunken teen nodded, glancing around the small crowd. This was his first heist in over three months. (The chance to stop these murders would be worth Ran's wrath) Although he had missed them, the current atmosphere of this heist made him uneasy. It was so different from the previous ones, where loud chatter and laughter was common. Now, there are only whispers.

"But there has to be a convincing reason that allowed the culprit to catch so many." Hakuba rubbed the bridge of his nose. The rookies guarding the main entrance had refused to give them entry.

He was jostled out of his thoughts when someone bumped into him hard enough to make him stumble.

"I'm sorry." He looked up, his eyes widening when he saw the figure's features.

"Nishino-kun?"

"H-hakuba-san!" The other teen gaped, pocketing his cell phone. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"What brings you here? I didn't think you were a Kid fan. Or are you one of the antis?" Hakuba brushed the dust off his jacket and looked at his classmate with curiosity. Conan did as well.

Nishino waved his hand in a vague gesture.

"Ah well, my girlfriend never stops raving about him so I thought I would come check out this guy's moves. Too bad I got a little addicted to his shows as well. Don't tell her, I'll never be able to live it down." He grinned sheepishly before growing solemn, looking around the crowd. "But it seems like I'm one of his few fans now."

"I suppose that's true." Hakuba said softly.

"Hey, look over there!"

The murmurs increased in volume and the three turned to stare at the small moving mass that advanced through the museum gates.

"What's that?" Hakuba muttered.

"The Anti-Kid league." Nishino frowned. When he saw the two detectives' confused expressions, he continued. "They're actually the former Kaitou Kid fan club. But after the death of their president, they've become the biggest Kid-hate organization around. It's quite bizarre."

"Are you kidding me? That's…." Hakuba clenched his fists and suppressed a glare. He didn't support Kid fans, but he couldn't condone these haters either.

"Kid, you monster!"

"Miki-san was innocent!"

"Killer!"

He flinched, even though he wasn't the target of the words. He could only imagine how Kid felt.

Nishino's eyes widened when he saw something to his left.

"Well, I'll see you around, Hakuba-san. It was nice chatting with you, I'll see you in class tomorrow, okay? You better not tell Rise that I came here, she'll laugh at me!" He waved with a smile and turned to walk away.

"W-wait Nishino-ku-"

"Are you Hakuba Saguru?" An anti-Kid member approached him aggressively, causing him to look away from his retreating classmate.

"And you're the Kid killer, Conan-kun right?" Another knelt down to regard the younger boy.

"When will you catch Kid?"

"When will you help us avenge Miki-san?"

"How many years do you think Kid's sentence will be?"

"Will he get the death penalty?"

The onslaught of questioning is interrupted by the sound of shouts.

Kid had escaped off the roof, officers were yelling by the window. They caught a glimpse of Nakamori speaking into his radio with clenched fists.

Sirens are faintly heard.

The Anti-Kid league turned to look at the detectives expectantly.

Hakuba and Conan exchanged grim glances.

 _We were too late._

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He finds another note on the rooftop.

 **I'm not like them, I know you're innocent! I will always support you! – Your biggest fan.**

He smiles again, until he remembers passing by the body only a mere two minutes ago.

He has the ability.

The ability to stop these murders.

 **Stop performing heists.**

Then no one would die.

It was so simple.

Yet…

He glares at the jewel in his hand.

 _I can't. It's my mission. For dad, for- I can't…I c-can't-_

"Go to hell Kid!"

"Killer!"

He grits his teeth and throws himself into the sky, letting the wind currents pull him along.

For a split second, he wishes for the wind to just _stop_ and let him **plummet**.

The thought disappears with the breeze.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Kuroba, are you okay?" Hakuba cutted to the chase without prettying up his words with honorifics and formalities.

The magician stopped in his tracks without turning around. The two of them stood in the empty school hallway.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Hakuba." His voice is slightly hoarse and he resents that small show of weakness."

"Please this isn't a joking matter, Kuroba. You can't keep this to yourself forever. The murders aren't stoppi-"

"I said I don't know!" He whipped around, eyes glowing in a purple fire as he cornered the taller male. Hakuba's back hit the wall, his hazel eyes filled with shock.

"I….I-"His chest heaved erratically, his eyes flickering back and forth with conflict. Trembling hands clenched to the material of his shirt as he tried to control his breathing.

"K-Kuroba?"

Should he tell? Should he falter? Should he ask for help? From Hakuba of all people? What-what the hell should he do? He wanted- he couldn't, he can't anymo-

"Kuro-"

"Oi! What are you two doing? Class has started already! Are you picking a fight? What class are you two from?"

The thief jumped away from the detective, his breathing slowing down considerably. He started to stumble his way to the angry teacher. Hakuba followed suit.

"It's okay…"

Hakuba barely heard the soft whisper.

"It's okay; I will take care of it."

He didn't say any more.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

The next heist takes place two weeks later.

He reaches the rooftop undisturbed yet again. He hadn't seen any bodies on escape route, but the lack of officers chasing him...

 _Don't think about it._

He would have to start piecing together the evidence he's gathered as well. He…he couldn't allow this to go on any longer.

The wind blows and he spots the index card out of the corner of his eyes. He allows himself a small smile as he bent down to pick it up. Cute, encouraging notes that kept him from going off the deep end. This would make the fifth card he has received.

 **The other people. They're insincere, they're shallow. They abandoned you. Those traitors. But I won't. Because I really do love you. – Your biggest fan**

His fingers twitch over the card. A cold rush of air travels up his spine, making him shiver. He reluctantly pockets it and leaves.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He passes by another body at the next heist.

 _I'm sorry I'm so sorry. Please forgive me._

He stumbles onto the rooftop and grabs the card that waits for him.

 **I love you so much. I won't let others have you.**

He did not take this index card home with him.

It was gone before the cops reach the rooftop.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Hakuba-san! Kuroba-san! What are you two doing here?"

Hakuba looked up from his pile of paperwork.

"Nishino-kun. We got chewed out for 'skipping class' the other day." He made air quotations with his hands and gestured to the papers. "Sensei is making us grade papers."

"Eh?! This wouldn't happen to be the physics test right?" The classmate paled, staring at the red pen in Hakuba's hand.

"It is." Hakuba smirked and glanced at the magician besides him. "In fact, I think Kuroba-kun was about to grade yours before he dozed off." He used his pen to poke the magician's cheek, a smile growing on his face when the latter started to groan, eyebrows scrunched up.

"Are you serious?" Nishino squeaked and rushed to the other side of the desk, trying to peer under Kaito's arms. As he did, something blue fell from his bag.

The detective reached down with a raised eyebrow. "Nishino-kun, you dropped…" He picked up the thin blue rope, no thicker than his finger.

"Ah, thanks." The other male grabbed it and stuffed it back into his bag.

"Why are you still at school, Nishino-kun? Clubs?"

"Yup! I'm part of the nature club. We're going on a camping trip next week. I've been teaching the other members how to tie knots for the tents." He replied absentmindedly as he tried to pull his test paper from under Kaito without waking him.

"You know how to tie knots?" Hakuba asked casually as he put another red x on a question.

"Yeah, well I learned it from my brother. But I've gotten really good with it! Our tent will end up being so sturdy, not even a hurricane can knock it over." Nishino exclaimed, waving his hand dramatically.

The same hand smacked against Kaito's shoulder hard.

The magician jumped awake and Hakuba nearly dropped his pen when he saw Kaito's expression.

His eyes were wide with dark circles under the lids. Sweat glistened on his pale skin, his spiky hair looked flat; his bangs were plastered against his forehead. His breathing was ragged as he whipped around, looking for the intruder. His eyes fell onto Nishino and he relaxed.

"N-nishino?" He let out a shuddered breath, running a hand through his sticky hair. He blinked rapidly, his sluggish mind attempting to reboot and remember what he had been doing.

"S-sorry, Kuroba-san. I didn't mean to spook you." The teen stammered and bowed his head apologetically.

"N-no it's fine, it's fine. I was up…studying for that physics test so I'm just drained." He grinned; his worn features did not convince Hakuba.

"Yeah, that one was a killer….by any chance would you spare me a minute to look over my test." Nishino wiggled his eyebrows and Kaito snorted.

"In your dreams, Nishino. You'll be at the mercy of the physics gods." He cackled as Nishino groaned, shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Well, I have to run now. I have to finish up some homework before meeting up with Rise. It was nice speaking with you Hakuba-san, Kuroba-san." He gathered up his bag and waved, heading for the exit.

"Oh! By the way, are you going to tonight's heist?" He paused halfway out the door.

Hakuba tensed and his gaze flickered to the magician. Kaito didn't spare him a glance, his eyes glued onto the paper he was grading.

"I believe so." The detective nodded.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

The shouts of hate make him tremble every time he hears them.

"Go away Kid!"

"Murderer!"

"I hope you die!"

His heists are quiet and tame now. There is less confetti, less taunting. He appears, he takes and he runs. Sometimes he lurks in the halls to search for a strange shadow, for someone he doesn't recognize.

 _He never sees anything out of the ordinary._

Why is he so useless?

How many have died since that first night?

He sees a note taped to the wooden crate besides the roof doorway. He swallows painfully before ripping it off the crate, his anxious lilac eyes running over the card.

 **I'll get rid of the others. I'm the only one that can love you.**

.

 _Ah, so that's it._

.

 _He snaps._

With an anguish cry, he shreds the card with shaking hands and throws them into the air. The wind picks up and some pieces fly off the roof.

"No! Don't! Stop doing this! I don't love you! I never fucking wanted this!" He screams at no one as he falls to his knees, a dry sob racking his frame.

All his fault. All his fault. It's all his fault.

He is too drained to attempt flying.

He staggers back down the staircase and crawls through the vents slowly. He hears the sirens.

Another one is dead because of him.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"I need to see Nakamori-keibu." Hakuba pursed his lips and held his ground. Conan stood by his legs, giving off his own version of an intimidating glare. The sounds of the angry crowd only served to aggravate him even more.

"Civilians are not allowed inside the building." The task force officer growled back.

"I'm the Superintendent's son, Hakuba Saguru! I'm no stranger to these heists!" He snarled and wished his dad would just hand him a fucking police badge already. No one ever seemed to believe him. With Nakamori-keibu busy inside and this new recruit not recognizing him, he would never get in at this rate. They only had five minutes before the announced time.

He had seen Kuroba in school today, and he had not looked well at all. Hakuba admitted it; he was extremely worried for the thief's state of mind tonight. He needed to be in there.

"Hakuba-san?"

Both detectives turned to face the voice.

"Nishino-kun…" Hakuba greeted, unable to form a smile.

"Nishino-niichan, what brings you here?" Conan tugged at the teen's jacket with an innocent tilt of his head.

"Eh? Well…"

"You've been at all his heists since that first murder right, Nishino-kun?" Hakuba interrupted with a frown and Nishino backed away a bit, looking between the two detectives incredulously.

"W-what are you saying?"

"And that blue rope in your bag the other day…I took some fiber samples. They're consistent with the fibers found on the victims." Hakuba took a step forward, causing his classmate to back down.

"Oi, I told you I was using them to practice with the club!" He blinked rapidly, looking back and forth between Hakuba to Conan. His eyes widened when he reached a conclusion.

"A-are you suspecting me of murder right now?" Nishino's lips curled into a scowl as he shook his head in exasperation. "Unbelievable. I come here to check up on my brother every heist and get treated like some fucking crimina-"

"Wait, brother? As in the one that thought you how to tie knots?" Conan's eyes widened as he grabbed at Nishino's jacket again.

"Y-yeah my older brother, he's one of the new task force members. My mom's been worried about him because of the serial murders so I've been coming to these heists to calm her down."

"Is that why you looked worried and ran at the other heist?" Hakuba prompted.

"Y-yeah, my mom didn't want me to go off to the heist either. I'd always tell her that I was at Rise's place. I knew she would be watching TV so when the camera turned my way, I hid!"

The two detectives locked eyes, the gears in their mind turning as the new information was processed.

"Oi, Hakuba-kun! What a surprise!"

"Tsukano-san! What are you doing out here." Hakuba greeted the veteran officer who walked up the museum steps.

"Keibu told me to go get the plans from the car. It seems I'm cutting it a bit close as well." He waved the beige file in his hand. The officer gestured for the three of them to follow him into the building.

"Tsukano-san-"The new recruit stammered.

"They're with me, Tamaki."

Hakuba resisted the urge to smile smugly at the newbie as he followed Tsukano through the doors. They board the elevator within minutes.

"What kind of plans are they, Tsukano-keiji?" Conan bounced up and down, trying to see the file label.

"They're our task force layout plan. It tells us which officer guards which hallway during what times."

"So who makes these plans?" Hakuba asked.

"The inspector does. It takes a lot of time to organize the information into a neat chart so we usually let one of the new recruits type it up and pass out the information."

Conan bounced too high and his head knocked against Tsukano's arms. The file is jostled from his grip, the papers falling out.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Tsukano-keiji!" The boy pulled on a wided eye display of apologetic tears.

"It's fine, it's fine, Conan-kun. Don't you worry." The man chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair.

Hakuba and Conan both bent down to pick up the papers.

"That's a lot of plans though…are they from every heist?" Nishino wondered out loud as he picked up a stray paper and handed it to Tsukano.

"These are the plans beginning from the first murder." The officer replied, anger flashing through his eyes momentarily.

"Oi…Hakuba, look at this!" Conan's voice deepened, suddenly sounding more mature than before. He lifted up several papers.

"The first murder…if I remember correctly, it took place on the left wing at hallway H…the one on guard was…" Hakuba muttered his thoughts in fragmented sentences. His eyes widened and he dugged into the pile of papers on the floor.

"Second murder, third floor, outside stairway I…."

Conan pulled out to more papers.

"Third, ninth floor, hallway D…"

"Sixth floor, east wing, staircase five…"

The name. It was the same.

Nishino peered over their shoulders, overwhelmed by the commotion.

"What are you guys talking abou-"He paused when he saw the name Hakuba was pointing to.

"Hey, that's my-"

The elevator door opened.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"Hey, has anyone seen Nagisa?" Sawada called out. The rookie had given him his riot gear helmet, saying he had to run to the bathroom.

"Haven't seen 'im." Another officer yelled back as they began to take formation around the jewelry case.

"Tch, what the hell is that newbie doing? Okubo! Go find that slacker right now! I can't carry his gear forever." Sawada barked at the man.

"H-hai!" He ran off immediately.

"Only one minute before Kid appears!" Nakamori shouted and the men returned it with an affirmative yell.

There is a tense silence as the clocks tick. What horrors would await them after the jewel is taken?

When would this end?

The clock struck twelve and smoke appeared out of nowhere. Kid is on the case when the smoke dissipated.

"KID!" Nakamori bellowed and the task force charged.

The phantom didn't speak; he hasn't for the last five heists. He snapped his fingers and the jewel is in his hand. He jumped off the display and ran down the hallway.

The officers started the chase without hesitation.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He leaned against the wall heavily, his breathing erratic and tortured.

"S-shit." He pressed a hand to his uncovered eye and groaned.

He shouldn't have done the heist tonight.

He hadn't been able to sleep peacefully since the first murder. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the dead bodies. He heard the cries of hate and sorrow.

 _I'm sorry I'm sorry.._

He doesn't notice the figure slowly creeping closer and closer until it's too late.

A blue rope is wrapped around his neck and tightened.

He couldn't breathe.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

The task force had wandered back into the display room. Kid had escaped but they hadn't found a body. The atmosphere spoke of relief and exhaustion.

The tense calm was broken when Hakuba and Conan skidded into the room with Tsukano and Nishino trailing after.

"Nakamori-keibu! Where's Nagisa-san?" Hakuba demanded, panting for breath.

"N-Nagisa? He still hasn't returned from wherever he went!" Nakamori stammered, glancing around the room.

"And I sent Okubo after him. Both haven't return since then!" Sawada piped in.

Hakuba and Conan exchanged glances.

"Shit, he's in danger!" They take off running again. The confused but anxious task force followed.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He couldn't breathe.

His fingers twitched to find a gap between the rope and his throat, attempting to find some refuge. To find a way to breathe.

His uncoordinated right hand moved to reach into suit pocket. He begged his hand to find a smoke bomb, a sleep bomb, **anything**.

"I did this all for you. Why can't you accept me?" A voice whispered into his ringing ears and he attempted to shake his head.

Drool fell involuntarily from his open mouth; his legs trembled, threatening to collapse.

"I killed all those fucking bastards so you could only come to me! Why did you reject me?!" The voice turned into a bellowing horn in his eardrums.

His hand wrapped around a bomb-

The rope tightened and felt a force pulling him towards the wall.

 **SMACK**

His vision turned white with stars as pain exploded in his head. The resonating crack echoed through his mind.

His hand slipped from his pocket limply.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

The two detectives ran down the long hallways. It was difficult. They didn't know which turn he might've taken. They could already hear the task force trail behind and getting lost. They could hear Nishino's footsteps gaining on them.

"Hakuba-san! Wait up! Are you suspecting my bro-"

Conan turned down the next hallway first and staggered to a stop. Hakuba nearly bowled him over in his attempt to halt.

A body lied in the middle of the hallway.

"!-"

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

"It's okay, I love you, I won't let anyone else love you. Don't be upset, even if the world hates you, I'll support you." The figure tightened his hold on the rope, watching the gradually weakening thief.

Kid couldn't hear him anymore. A loud humming replaced all other sounds. The details on the walls melted into a mess of colors and the floor was tilted. His legs were buckling, his body tilting to lean against the wall that was smeared with his blood. His hair felt sticky and his head sent a sharp pang through his entire body with every movement.

 _He was **dying**._

His quivering arms were weakly twitching over his neck, the strength in them drained.

 _He was..._

Black spots were slowly overtaking the grey of the walls before him.

 _He was too tired to.._

His arms fell to his sides.

 _To.._

.

.

.

.

"Okubo-san!"

 _Ha…kuba?_

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

Hakuba's eyes grow wide when he sees the limp body leaning against the bloodied wall.

Kid.

 **Kuroba.**

"Okubo-san, release him right now." His glare reaches a new level of heat and the little boy standing next to him glowers as he lifts his watch to eye level.

The figure, identified as Okubo turns to face the newcomers with narrowed, calculating eyes. His grip on the rope loosen. The thief's eyes snap open and bulge as he starts to cough with fervor. His legs finally buckle and he begins to fall. An arm wraps around his neck immediately, keeping him upright. He scratches at the arm with a meager amount of strength.

Cold metal presses against his temple, causing him to freeze. His arms fall to his sides again.

"You can't have him back. Let us leave and no one gets hurt." Okubo growls as he forces Kid to stand.

"Okubo-san, you're ill. Please, we can help you, calm dow-"

"Shut up! You can't have him. He's mine-"

"You're his biggest fan, right?" Conan shouts out over the agitated man's cries.

"What?"

"If you love him so much, why would you make him sad?"

"I can make him feel better! I promised. If no one else liked him, I would be the one he can come t-"

"That won't make him happy! Have you thought about that at all, you idiot? Kid hates violence. You've done all the things he hates! Of course he would reject you!" The boy's voice cracks as he screamed angrily. Even Hakuba is taken back by the raw emotion in the boy's voice.

"Okubo-san, please…cease this." Hakuba pleads, his eyes flickering back between the killer and thief rapidly. Perhaps if they could stall long enough, the task force...

"I…I" The hand holding the gun twitches, he takes a step back, the heel of his shoe bumps against the wall. He falters for a moment to regain balance.

The thief slips his hand into his pocket and the bomb activates.

Smoke fills the room.

The gun goes off.

The tranquilizer dart shoots out.

When the task force finally runs in, they find Hakuba and Conan sitting over an unconscious Okubo.

A bloody trail leads out the back entrance and into the night.

Kid is nowhere to be seen.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

Erotomania.

The forensic criminal profiler diagnoses Okubo after the police interrogation.

When the affected person believes another person is in love with them.

It can range from a harmless crush to obsessive stalking.

And even murder.

The body they had run into belonged to a sleeping Nishino Nagisa. He had gone to the bathroom and on his way back, felt a blow to his head and blacked out.

Both he and Okubo had been part of a Kaitou Kid fan club eight years ago. While his crush on the thief had been minor, Okubo's was borderline creepy, Nagisa said during his testimony.

Okubo had been the one in charge of typing up the plans. He merely had to change Nagisa's shift conveniently near the places he planned to murder the fans. No one ever thought to give the plans a second glance.

The rope used to strangle his victims was the same type he had given to Nagisa's younger brother as a present for becoming president of the Nature Club.

He had wanted to frame both his best friend and his best friend's younger brother without a second thought.

When Kid disappeared eight years ago, Okubo believed this was a sign for him. He happily explained to the officers that Kid loved him back but didn't want the world to interfere with their judging eyes and standards. He said he patiently waited for news from Kid for eight years.

When Kid reappeared, he was ecstatic. It was his sign, he insisted.

He would have to get rid of all his rivals in love first. They were the obstacle that Kid was worried about.

It was much too easy. They trusted the police without a second thought. He only had to approach the vulnerable looking ones, telling them that the task force was allowing a few fans in one at a time and later telling the Anti-fans the task force was allowing them inside for exclusive interviews.

By killing them, Kid would lose fans. He didn't think Kid would mind too much since he loved him. Even if Kid lost all his fans, Okubo would still support him.

When Kid's unpopularity reached its peak, Okubo had planned to _take him away._

The bondage equipment, weapons and hidden torture room filled with disturbing objects in Okubo's secret apartment were consistent with his story.

When he saw Kid shred up one of his love letters while screaming that he did not love him back, Okubo snapped.

He had done so much for Kid. And he just rejected him so coldly.

He figured killing Kid would be the best choice. Then no one could have him.

The trial did not take long.

Okubo was given the death penalty.

And the media broadcasted the entire thing to the public.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

 _Police Officer Convicted of Murder!_

 _Death Penalty Decision Reached!_

 _Kid is Innocent!_

 **Kana:** Kid-sama is innocent!

 **Yuna:** I knew it I knew it! I always believed in him!

 **Majiku0389:** That's not what you were saying a week ago. :P

 **Kana:** Erk- I...I was misled! That's all. All these tabloids and talk shows screwed with my head.

 **Hachi:** Same here! In my heart, I knew he was innocent!

 **Misaki:** I didn't even throw away my posters. They're sitting in my basement; I'll take them out as soon as I get home!

 **Hachi:** Will you be going to the next heist?

 **Misaki:** Of course!

 **Kana:** It might be a while; Kid-sama might be shaken up over this whole thing...

 **Yuna:** We'll bring extra big get well signs to the next heist!

 **Kana:** Let's do it!

The Anti-Kid sentiments disappear as the case comes to a close. Kid's fans gradually return as if they had not abandoned him when he needed them the most.

New gossip appears and the old rumors become obsolete.

 **TTGTTGTTGTTGTTG**

He fell down the stairs.

That is the excuse Kaito gives Hakuba when he opens the door.

The detective takes in the sight of his bloodshot eyes, bandaged neck and head. His arm is in a sling. The bullet that was fired from Okubo's gun hadn't been found, after all.

Kaito didn't speak. He had relayed his message to Hakuba through the use of a whiteboard and marker.

"Hai, hai, whatever you say. I bring you a get well gift. Honey lemon tea will soothe your throat." He lifts the little basket into sight.

The bloody eyes stare at him unblinkingly for nearly a full minute.

Kaito takes the basket from the detective with his uninjured hand, setting it down on the table gently.

He reaches out for Hakuba's hand and squeezes it tightly.

It would take a long time for Kuroba to smile again. But Hakuba would be there every step of the way.

 **Hope it was enjoyable, folks!**

 **Was the culprit obvious? I put so many red herrings out there and I still felt that it was obvious.**

 **The tense shifts were made for a reason. (There was a method to my madness, I promise) This one was really tough to write. If you spot any plot holes, it would be great help if you point them out so I can fix them.**

 **Reviews are appreciated, I'd love to hear your feedback.**


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